Solidago Gardens: The Place Where Time Stops

By Travaasa

Solidago Gardens is a special space at Travaasa Austin, where guests are invited to meditate and relax. What makes it so special? The energy present in the Solidago Gardens has a tendency to literally stop time. There have been multiple accounts of “lost time” where people’s watches stop, timers cease to tick and the relaxing atmosphere takes control of all who enter the gardens.

Travaasa’s own, Elaine Heng loves telling the stories of Solidago Gardens and some of the interesting experiences from the gardens when time has ceased to exist: “When Solidago was being built, the construction workers were the first to notice that their watches never reflected the correct time. Their watches would stop in that specific area and then just give up altogether, even if the watch batteries were brand new. When you enter the ‘female’ side of the garden (to the left of the entrance), the construction workers’ watches are cemented into the walls between the stones to remind guests that this is a place where time ceases to be a factor of life.”

One instructor also told us her personal experience with the time warp that is Solidago. When preparing for her meditation classes in the garden, she uses a wrist watch to make sure she stays on schedule and also sets an alarm on her cell phone to go off once the class is finished (around 45 minutes or so). One day, during the meditation class, she felt as if the class was longer than usual, even though she set her timer. The timer on her phone finally went off at what she thought was 45 minutes. When she looked at her wrist watch, it hadn’t moved a dial since the class began. The time had been completely ‘lost’ for about 15 minutes (they were 15 minutes behind). Her watch is now wedged between stones along with the construction workers.

It is a little eerie that time literally stops, but it’s a gorgeous place to be on property and we couldn’t think of a better place for meditating! Even the beautiful candle chandelier reflects a clock with its 12 candle holders.